It’s finally here!
I’ve been waiting for this moment since 2009. Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 is finally out, exclusively for Nintendo Switch, which means for the first time in the franchise’s history, a Nintendo console version is the main focus of development. While the previous two games had Nintendo versions, it was clear at times that they weren’t the main focus and while incredibly fun in their own right, they lacked the extra bit of polish the other versions received at the time.
ALL HERE
Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3, which I will refer to as ‘MUA3’ from here on out, starts with a great impression before you even put the game in your console, with its beautiful box art on the outside as well as the inside of the box. I was also really happy that the full game is on the cartridge, with no extra downloads required. The game will receive free character updates starting from August 30th as well as a few paid DLC packs for people who want to expand their hero list and enjoy some new story chapters.
IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS
Once you boot up the game, you are greeted by the MARVEL logo and your journey begins. While some readers might not care at all, the game’s user interface is extremely well made. The choice of font, colours and overall menu design pops. This means that you will have no difficulty changing the heroes on your team, upgrading their special moves or navigating through the game’s many modes. I just love it when developers pay attention to detail like this.
THE MAIN MODES
Speaking of modes, MUA3 offers solo play, couch local co-op as well as online play! I have tried out all three modes and no matter how you decide to go through the main story and the different challenges the game offers, you will have an absolute blast with this game.
THE ‘MUA’ SOUL
The core ‘Marvel Ultimate Alliance’ franchise formula remains intact with this third entry in the series. In many ways, MUA3 feels like an amalgamation of the best parts of the other two games, streamlined and crafted in such a way so as to maximise the amount of fun you will have during combat. The “fusion” style powers, where two or more characters combine their specials to create stunning combos on-screen that devastate your enemies, the different attacks the heroes have as well as the controls of the game will feel familiar to any fan of the series.
A DECADE LATER
Which brings me to my next point. Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 feels pleasantly familiar. Small things like pressing ‘jump’ twice to hover/fly with some characters came to me naturally because that’s how it’s always been in these games. I was happy the developers didn’t try to completely reinvent movement controls as well as the basic “feel” of the game. MUA3 is an Ultimate Alliance game and will evoke the same feeling you had in 2006 and 2009, only this time with a different, more comic book-like look and taking inspiration from the best parts of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
THE SPIDER-AVENGERS
MUA3 offers 30 characters to choose from to form your 4-man (or woman) team. Do you want a team full of Spider-people and Venom? Maybe The Avengers as you’ve come to know them from the movies or 90s comic books? Or maybe you’re like me and you just want Wolverine on your team to offset the cheerfulness of Peter Parker? The game has you covered. You can change your team mid-chapter at several checkpoint if you please and the game will provide you with boosts or bonuses depending on the makeup of your team. The combinations will make your head spin and the crazy special synergy moves everyone can pull off together will make it spin even more. Building the perfect team is as fun as ever.
STRAIGHT FROM THE 90s
Now on to visuals. This is a tricky one. While the game’s first chapter can look bland at times, I have found that once you move on from the tutorial part of the game and the story and combat start picking up, the look of the game becomes more and more interesting. Boss fights are incredibly flashy and combat can be beautifully chaotic at times. Rain drops stopping in mid-air when the Time stone is used during a boss fight as well as explosions, bloom light and a huge range of flashy effects are pure eye candy. I was impressed by the huge number of enemies on-screen. With all the fighting, explosions, particle effects going on at the same time, I was surprised to find this game supports all that and runs so well. A few framerate dips can occur sometimes but they were barely noticeable in my playthrough. Finally, all the heroes are rendered in beautiful 3D models with a colourful, kind of cel-shaded style pulled straight from the pages of books drawn by some of the greatest artists to work on Marvel comics.
EXPERT OPINION?
Unlike what Digital Foundry will have you believe, not all of the game’s cutscenes are pre-rendered. Quite a lot of them, especially during boss fights, are rendered in real time and in-engine. Well, directed, beautifully animated and really impressive to look at. I just wish our colleagues over at Eurogamer took more time when examining the game rather than spreading misinformation like that in order to be the first to upload a tech analysis on YouTube. The game really handles the chaotic action well and runs great in portable mode also. It’s the perfect Switch package.
I AM GROOT
Voice acting and sound design are exactly what you would expect from this game. Nothing groundbreaking but nothing bad either. All voice actors do a fantastic job, some of them sounding incredibly close to their movie counterparts. I could have sworn I heard Bradley Cooper and Robert Downey Jr. at some points in the game. Tracks are bombastic and the dialogue is funny and engaging, winning a few well-deserved chuckles along the way. Solid work, I have nothing negative to say.
MUST-OWN
This is one of the most fun games I have ever played on Switch. Incredibly well-made, packed with features and characters and it brings back the franchise with style, on the perfect console for couch co-op. It comes at a time when Marvel and its franchises are enjoying incredible success due to the quality of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the release of Spider-Man Far From Home and Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse. It maintains the level of quality and fun we have come to expect from Marvel games and media in general. Fans of the ‘Marvel Ultimate Alliance’ games as well as fans of Marvel movies, comic books and characters will without a doubt enjoy this game and it’s a must buy for Switch owners.
What’s your Team like in Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3? Are you planning on getting the game? Let us know in the comments below.